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Article SEA-FIGHT OFF CAPE LA HOGUE, A. D. 1692. ← Page 2 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sea-Fight Off Cape La Hogue, A. D. 1692.
fate of that fleet , it was plain to all the fate of the nation was involved . As few secrets can be kept which are entrusted to many , it had been already whispered abroad , that several officers of the English fleet were disaffected ; and now the clamours of the public became loud , that the suspected officers should be changed . In this state of uncertainty who ought or ought not to be trusted , the queen * took a resolution to bind a class of men by a generous trust . She
generous ordered Lord Nottingham to write to Russell , " That she had de" clared , she would change none of her officers , and that she imputed " the reports which had been raised against them , to the contrivance ' . of her enemies and theirs . " The admirals and captains sent back an address , in which they vowed , " That they were ready to die in " her cause and their country ' s . " Yet Russel signed not this
address , either from accident , or because he was conscious of betraying either his late master or his present one . The queen answered the address in these words : " I had always this opinion of the comman" ders ; but I am glad this is come to satisfy others . " The queen took another prudent step ; instead of prohibiting James ' s declaration to be read , she ordered it to be published , with an answer to it , which was drawn by Lloyd , one of the seven bishops who had been sent to the Tower ; thus manifesting , that she submitted her title to the reason of her subjects , instead of betraying a fear that it could not stand
examination . The officers liad scarcely signed their address , when they insisted to sail for the coast of France , some prompted by loyalty , and others by a desire to remove suspicion ; and , at a council of war , it was resolved to stretch over to Cape-la-Hogue . ' On the iSth of May 1692 the combined fleets sailed . The French fleetof about 50 shiof the linewas at that time at sea in
, ps , quest of the English , and was descried next day , at three o ' clock in the morning , about seven leagues from Barfleur . As the French were many leagues to the windward , they might easily have avoided an engagement ; and all the flag-officer ' s advised Tourville to retire ; , but he rushed on . Russel ' s motions filled him for some time with hopes , for Russel ' s fleet was not in order until eiht o ' clock ; he layby with
g his fore-top-sail to the mast , until twelve o ' clock ; and allowed the enemy to come within half a musket-shot of him before he flung out tiie bloody flag . During this interval , the bold advance of Tourville with so unequal a force , together with the tardiness of Russel , raised doubts and anxieties in many of the English captains . They looked around to see when their own officers were to raise up against
them , or when the ship next to theirs was to quit the line , and sail over to their enemies . Tourville , who was in the Royal Sun , carrying 100 guns , the finest ship in Europe , passed all the Dutch and English ships which he found in his way , singled out Russel , and bore down upon him ; but ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sea-Fight Off Cape La Hogue, A. D. 1692.
fate of that fleet , it was plain to all the fate of the nation was involved . As few secrets can be kept which are entrusted to many , it had been already whispered abroad , that several officers of the English fleet were disaffected ; and now the clamours of the public became loud , that the suspected officers should be changed . In this state of uncertainty who ought or ought not to be trusted , the queen * took a resolution to bind a class of men by a generous trust . She
generous ordered Lord Nottingham to write to Russell , " That she had de" clared , she would change none of her officers , and that she imputed " the reports which had been raised against them , to the contrivance ' . of her enemies and theirs . " The admirals and captains sent back an address , in which they vowed , " That they were ready to die in " her cause and their country ' s . " Yet Russel signed not this
address , either from accident , or because he was conscious of betraying either his late master or his present one . The queen answered the address in these words : " I had always this opinion of the comman" ders ; but I am glad this is come to satisfy others . " The queen took another prudent step ; instead of prohibiting James ' s declaration to be read , she ordered it to be published , with an answer to it , which was drawn by Lloyd , one of the seven bishops who had been sent to the Tower ; thus manifesting , that she submitted her title to the reason of her subjects , instead of betraying a fear that it could not stand
examination . The officers liad scarcely signed their address , when they insisted to sail for the coast of France , some prompted by loyalty , and others by a desire to remove suspicion ; and , at a council of war , it was resolved to stretch over to Cape-la-Hogue . ' On the iSth of May 1692 the combined fleets sailed . The French fleetof about 50 shiof the linewas at that time at sea in
, ps , quest of the English , and was descried next day , at three o ' clock in the morning , about seven leagues from Barfleur . As the French were many leagues to the windward , they might easily have avoided an engagement ; and all the flag-officer ' s advised Tourville to retire ; , but he rushed on . Russel ' s motions filled him for some time with hopes , for Russel ' s fleet was not in order until eiht o ' clock ; he layby with
g his fore-top-sail to the mast , until twelve o ' clock ; and allowed the enemy to come within half a musket-shot of him before he flung out tiie bloody flag . During this interval , the bold advance of Tourville with so unequal a force , together with the tardiness of Russel , raised doubts and anxieties in many of the English captains . They looked around to see when their own officers were to raise up against
them , or when the ship next to theirs was to quit the line , and sail over to their enemies . Tourville , who was in the Royal Sun , carrying 100 guns , the finest ship in Europe , passed all the Dutch and English ships which he found in his way , singled out Russel , and bore down upon him ; but ,